The Civil War Trust makes official announcement for the funding drive for the Western Theater High Water Mark

Save 70 Acres at Perryville — and Substantially Complete the Preservation of the Battlefield

Battlefields are part of our national heritage, scenes of struggle and sacrifice where American soldiers lost their lives. The Civil War Trust is working to preserve these “hallowed grounds,” as Abraham Lincoln called them, so that future generations can learn from them and can learn to appreciate their hard-won freedom.

WASHINGTON, DC – National Park Service Director Jonathan B. Jarvis has announced more than $500,000 in grants from the Land and Water Conservation Fund to help preserve over 180 acres at three of America’s Civil War battlefields threatened with damage or destruction by urban and suburban development. Just over $91,000 went to purchase land at the Perryville battlefield in Boyle County.

Besides Perryville, the grant projects are at Corinth, Mississippi, 88 acres at $170,820, and 51.20 acres at $109,836; and Brandy Station Battlefield, Virginia, 29 acres at $154,210.00; for a total of more than $525,878.

The grants announced are funded by the Land and Water Conservation Fund, which was established in 1964 and has helped conserve land in every state, supporting tens of thousands of state and local projects. They were funded with money set aside in Fiscal Year 2014, but since then, Congress allowed the 50 year-old program to expire on Sept. 30, leaving an uncertain future for additional grants for similar civil war battlefield projects.

“Acquisition of these battlefields through the Land and Water Conservation Fund will help our fellow citizens better understand how military conflicts have impacted important social and political changes throughout our nation’s history.” Director Jarvis said. “The Fund helps states and local communities safeguard and preserve historic battlefields without the expenditure of tax-payer dollars, and it’s absolutely critical that Congress reauthorize and fully fund this highly successful program”

President Obama has called for full, permanent funding of the LWCF in his proposed budget, recognizing it as one of the nation’s most effective tools for protecting important water sources, expanding access for hunting and fishing, preserving historic battlefields, and creating ball fields and other places for kids to play and learn. The LWCF does not use taxpayer dollars; the primary source of income derives from fees paid by oil and gas companies drilling offshore in waters owned by the American people.

The grants are administered by the National Park Service’s American Battlefield Protection Program (ABPP), one of more than a dozen programs administered by the NPS that provide states and local communities technical assistance, recognition, and funding to help preserve their own history and create close-to-home recreation opportunities.

Consideration for the battlefield land acquisition grants is given to battlefields listed in the Civil War Sites Advisory Commission’s 1993Report on the Nation’s Civil War Battlefields and the ABPP’s 2007 Report to Congress on the Historic Preservation of Revolutionary War and War of 1812 Sites in the United States.

Grants are awarded to units of state and local governments for the fee simple acquisition of land, or for the non-federal acquisition of permanent, protective interests in land (easements). Private non-profit groups may apply in partnership with state or local government sponsors.

In the case of these four newly awarded grants, the Civil War Trust partnered with the government sponsor grantees listed below. Other partnership organizations involved in the grant projects include the Kentucky Heritage Council and the Virginia Department of Historic Resources. Complete guidelines for grant eligibility and application forms are available online at: www.nps.gov/abpp.

You Can Help With Kentucky Grant Funding

Each year, history organizations around the state ask me if there are grant funds available to help Kentucky’s museums and local history organizations. Sadly, in the past, these grant funds have been few and far between.

Now, however, we can change that!

Your next Kentucky state income tax return will allow you to donate part of your tax refund to Kentucky’s Local History Trust Fund. This money will create a grant pool that will help museums, libraries, and local history organizations in your community. The Kentucky Historical Society will administer these grants, which will help build organizational capacity, support programs and services, and strengthen these organizations.

By donating to this fund you will help museums and local history organizations around the state!

Perryville is one of the Kentucky State ParksBuilding Monarch Butterfly Waystations

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- More than a dozen Kentucky State Parks are working on projects to help Monarch butterflies by preserving habitat and planting milkweed plants the butterflies need for survival.

The butterflies – easily identified because of their orange and black colors – are known for their annual journeys to Mexico each year for winter hibernation. Some scientists are concerned that loss of habitat is causing a decline in the Monarch population in some areas.

Split Rails help Define the Space! We are making real progress on our Split Rail Drive! We are almost half way there! Please help! The fences were terrible obstacles that the soldiers had to overcome as they advanced across the landscape. Our mission will help return the park’s landscape to its appearance at the time of the battle as well as define those spaces where men struggled and died for our nation.

PERRYVILLE, Ky. – With the help of a class from Centre College, Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site now has a digital database of more than 5,800 soldiers who died, were wounded or went missing during the largest Civil War battle in Kentucky.

“This is a great resource for anyone doing family or military research,” said Parks Commissioner Elaine Walker. “Our thanks go out to Centre College and the students who worked on this project.”

Park Manager Kurt Holman, who has spent 30 years collecting names and details of the casualties, contacted the college in nearby Danville for assistance. A computer science class taught by Christine Shannon agreed to take on the project.

“We’re among a handful of Civil War battlefields with this kind of database that is now available to anyone with access to the Internet,” Holman said. “This is a great service to our guests and really helps raise the profile of this important Kentucky historical site.”

PERRYVILLE, Ky. - The Battle of Perryville Commemoration re-enactment and festival has been named a Top 20 Event in the United States by the Southeast Tourism Society for October 2013.

The Southeast Tourism Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and developing tourism throughout the Southeast region of the U.S.

Focusing on preservation and education, the Perryville commemoration features reenactments of Civil War battles, historical tours, living history encampments, ghost walks, a parade, street dancing, open fire cooking, picnics, a craft fair and flea market. Read the entire article.

The “Ghost Adventures” segment with Perryville Battlefield first aired on Friday, Dec. 2, at 9 p.m. EST. Learn more from Lexington’s Channel 18.

Due to the Emerald Ash Borer, all firewood coming into the park must be harvested locally in the county of the park. There are a growing number of quarantined counties and we want to take every precaution to prevent spreading the insect.

Perryville Battlefield like other large tracks of land, has a recurring problem with abandoned pets - especially kittens. Currently all abandoned pets are taken to the Boyle County Humane Society and Hal’s Haven Kitty Rescue.

Help these non profit organizations find homes for these abandoned animals